Two weeks ago, Japan announced the successful recovery of methane hydrates from the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Methane hydrates are curious substances, appearing slushy or icy but flammable in the presence of a flame. Deposits of methane hydrates could be a vast—but carbon heavy—energy source.

National Geographic News has put together a nice slideshow around Japan’s discovery, including shots of burning methane hydrate alongn with the curious worms that feed on chemosynthetic bacteria which in turn thrive on hydrates.

Related Articles

Support provided by:

Funding for NOVA Next is provided by the Eleanor & Howard Morgan Family Foundation.

Original funding for NOVA Next was provided by Amy and Joshua Boger.

National corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Cancer Treatment Centers of America and Farmers Insurance. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.